School district and high school administrators shared the stage with the concert choir and a portion of the high school band.

The 800-plus students, dressed in purple and gold caps and gowns, filled the center seats of the house for the 116th commencement while parents and relatives sat in the side aisle seats and in the balcony.

Deputy Fire Chief Gary McAfee, a member of the Upper Darby Class of 1971, recalled his class was the last one to graduate from the Tower Theater.

“The following year students graduated from the school gym,” McAfee said.

Subsequent years were at the school or at The Pavilion at Villanova University until last year when graduation returned to the high school.

The three student speakers reflected on their four years at Upper Darby wishing their classmates good luck in the future.

“It is Friday the 13th and despite the unlucky reputation of the date, it is very lucky for us all,” Claudine Andre said. “Today we begin to write the next chapter in the story of our lives. If you spent the last four years not doing much to be proud of, simply be proud of the fact you are here today. Make today the first day of the rest of your life.

“Remember that despite our vast diversity we will always be joined together as the Class of 2014. Coming together was the beginning. Keeping together is how we progressed and working together led to this success right here.”

Shue McLean remembered the firsts on the June 13th date in history and spoke about his memory of high school.

“I remember the first time we sat as a group,” McLean said. “On that morning the great expanse of the Performing Arts Center seemed to swallow up the crowd of Upper Darby’s smallest new citizens. Scattered about, Beverly Hills (Middle School) kids were still a little scared to associate with Drexel Hill (Middle School) kids and Drexel Hill kids were still a little scared to break the ice. I can only imagine the sheer terror for the St. Laurence kids. We may have been a little quiet in the beginning but we’ve made ourselves heard.”

Kellie Furey, a distinguished honor student for four years, spoke about how fast those years went.

“Today is the day we close out one chapter of our lives and embark on a new phase in our journey,” Furey said. “On each day of our high school career we were given the opportunity to grow as students to learn about ourselves in more ways than we could imagine. We faced countless challenges. Although we have traveled this path together it’s time to go our separate ways. Each of us sits here, happy to have finally reached the milestone of graduation, eager to move on to the next stop on our journey.”

At the conclusion of the student speakers, one student Jordan Noel, of Drexel Hill, was invited to the stage to receive her diploma and a big hug from a surprise guest, her brother, U. S. Marine Cpl. Andrew Jordan.

The Marine, a member of the Class of 2010, who had just returned from a two year deployment in Japan, declined to comment.

“She didn’t know he was home,” Leon Jordan, their father, said. “He didn’t get home until three this morning. He’ll be stateside this September.”

After receiving their diplomas from Superintendent Richard Dunlap Jr. and School Board President Judy Gentile, School Principal Edward Roth and Assistant Principal Matthew Alloway spoke to the graduates.

“You inspired me by the way you learned by your own mistakes,” Roth said. “You are a class of amazing character and have led by example. Thank you. Good luck. Remember you will always be an Upper Darby Royal.”

At the conclusion of the ceremony, like anxious fans, parents and friends were waiting at the side door for the celebs to exit.